Results of the Challenge Grants Competition – Pillar 2 Research
Funding results of the Challenge Grants Competition – Pillar 2
Shorter radiation treatments to lessen long-term side effects
Houda Bahig | Centre de recherche du CHUM
HPV-related throat cancer is usually treated with 7 weeks of radiation therapy. The treatment works well but can leave people with long-term side effects like difficulty swallowing, dry mouth or changes in taste. To reduce these effects, Dr Houda Bahig is trialing a 4-week course of precision radiation treatment. She hopes the shorter treatment will not only lessen side effects but also make treatment more affordable and accessible.
Reducing nerve pain for people living with and beyond cancer
Mathieos Belayneh | BC Cancer, part of the Provincial Health Services Authority
Up to 70% of people receiving chemotherapy develop long-term, painful nerve damage that limits their mobility and quality of life – but current treatments don’t always work. Dr Mathieos Belayneh and his team will run a clinical trial to find out whether methadone works better than standard pain treatment. The results could improve pain management, mobility and overall quality of life for people living with and beyond cancer.
Pinpointing the cause of shoulder problems after breast cancer treatment
Clark Dickerson | University of Waterloo
Radiotherapy for breast cancer may lead to lasting shoulder pain, weakness and limited arm movement that can worsen over time. Dr Clark Dickerson and his collaborators are studying whether radiation to shoulder muscles is the main cause by comparing different treatment approaches. This first-of-its-kind study will reveal when shoulder damage begins, enabling earlier intervention, reducing pain and improving long-term recovery and quality of life.
Seeing firsthand, through working and researching alongside persons living beyond cancer, directly taught me how a range of shoulder and arm limitations can make formerly routine activities challenging. This affects real people’s daily lives. These experiences fuel our commitment to searching for possible causes, prevention and treatment so that we can improve independence and arm function for this important group.
— Clark Dickerson, Pinpointing the cause of shoulder problems after breast cancer treatment
University of Waterloo – Waterloo, ON
Safer monitoring for children at risk of lung cancer
Mary-Louise Greer | The Hospital for Sick Children
Children with the genetic condition DICER1 syndrome are at risk of developing a rare childhood lung cancer. When detected early, outcomes are good, so it’s important to spot this cancer as quickly as possible. Right now, children are monitored via CT scan, but this repeatedly exposes them to radiation. Dr Mary-Louise Greer is studying whether MRI scanning, which does not use radiation, works equally well. If so, children with DICER1 syndrome could be monitored using MRI, reducing their radiation exposure and improving their long-term safety.
Using hormone signals to personalize prostate cancer treatment
Chantal Guillemette | Université Laval
Hormone-based therapies are a cornerstone of treatment for advanced prostate cancer but not all people respond in the same way. Better tools are needed to predict which treatments are most likely to work for each person. Dr Chantal Guillemette will study the hormone profiles of people with prostate cancer to find markers that can help personalize treatments and allow more people to live longer, healthier lives.
Shorter, more effective, more personalized prostate cancer treatment
Robert Hamilton | Princess Margaret Cancer Centre – UHN
When prostate cancer begins to spread, the standard treatment is expensive and can cause serious side effects. Dr Robert Hamilton is studying whether adding a drug called atorvastatin to standard treatment can enhance its effectiveness, meaning that people might be able to have shorter courses of treatment. His team is also looking for genetic markers to predict which people are more likely to need aggressive treatment, helping spare others unnecessary therapies and side effects while improving quality of life.
The member of our team who has lived experience with cancer shared important insights. They helped us design this study in such a way to ensure that the positive aspect of a patient and their family being involved – a sense empowerment when navigating this syndrome – was not outweighed by the negative aspect of an extra study, the MRI.
— Mary-Louise Greer, Safer monitoring for children at risk of lung cancer
The Hospital for Sick Children – Toronto, ON
Improving survival for people with aggressive lymphomas
When initial treatment fails, outcomes for people with aggressive lymphoma are often poor. CAR T cell therapy can be a highly effective treatment if used early. Dr Nathalie Johnson’s team has developed a blood test to detect residual cancer DNA after treatment and identify recurrence sooner. Their clinical trial will assess whether using the test for earlier intervention will help people with recurrent lymphoma live longer.
Detecting lymphoma recurrence faster and more accurately
Robert Kridel | Princess Margaret Cancer Centre – UHN
Current tools can miss small amounts of lymphoma after treatment, making it difficult for physicians to monitor people accurately or intervene fast when more treatment is needed. Dr Robert Kridel and his team are developing a next-generation blood test that detects lymphoma earlier and more precisely using specific genetic markers and DNA patterns. The approach could reduce unnecessary procedures and improve outcomes for people with lymphoma.
Intermittent fasting to boost cancer immunotherapy
Julian Lum | BC Cancer, part of the Provincial Health Services Authority
Research suggests a link between diet and the immune system. In a preliminary study, Dr Julian Lum found that intermittent fasting can slow cancer progression and improve immunity. Now, he plans to trial intermittent fasting in people receiving immunotherapy for multiple myeloma. The goal: a low-cost, widely accessible way to improve outcomes and quality of life for people undergoing cancer treatment.
Overcoming treatment resistance in aggressive breast cancer
Michael Reedijk | Princess Margaret Cancer Centre – UHN
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumours resist treatment by recruiting special cells called macrophages to protect themselves from the body’s immune system. This means immunotherapies that work well in other cancers don’t work in TNBC. Dr Michael Reedijk is trialing isunakinra to see whether it can stop macrophages from entering the tumours. If so, isunakinra could overcome TNBC’s resistance to therapy, enabling new life-saving treatment options.
Better detection and diagnosis for metastatic breast cancer
When breast cancer spreads or returns, the new tumours may be different from the original one. It’s not possible or practical to biopsy every new tumour – so Dr Éric Turcotte’s team is developing imaging tools to map and characterize metastases across the body. This non-invasive approach could improve detection, track disease progression and guide treatment decisions for people with breast cancer.
Some of the most important ideas in our research didn’t come from the laboratory; they came from conversations with people living with cancer. They reminded us that behind every scientific discovery is someone looking for hope and something active they can do for themselves. Their lived experience has challenged us to think differently, ask better questions and pursue research that is not only scientifically groundbreaking but also deeply relevant to patients’ everyday lives. We have the opportunity to generate the scientific evidence that could help transform food from a source of confusion into a trusted, evidence-based partner in cancer care.
— Julian Lum, Intermittent fasting to boost cancer immunotherapy
BC Cancer, part of the Provincial Health Services Authority – Victoria, BC
Preventing vomiting in children undergoing cancer treatment
Lillian Sung | The Hospital for Sick Children
Adam Yan | The Hospital for Sick Children
Vomiting is a common and distressing effect of childhood cancer treatment. Dr Lillian Sung and Dr Adam Yan have developed a machine learning model that can help predict a child’s risk of vomiting in the next 4 days. By identifying children who are likely to vomit, healthcare teams can provide preventive treatment, making the cancer treatment experience more comfortable and improving children’s overall health and quality of life.
Easier cancer screening for children with hereditary cancer predisposition
Anita Villani | The Hospital for Sick Children
Andrea Doria | The Hospital for Sick Children
Children with cancer predispositions like Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) often receive regular MRI screening. These tests can be stressful and difficult for families to access. Dr Anita Villani and Dr Andrea Doria are trialing a blood test in children with LFS. If the blood test works at least as well as MRI scans, it could offer a more comfortable and accessible alternative to frequent MRI screening for children with LFS and other cancer predisposition syndromes.
Working closely with children receiving cancer treatment and their families has reinforced that preventing side effects is just as important as treating the cancer itself. Their experiences have helped us focus on the questions that matter most to patients, including reducing the burden of treatment and helping children feel well enough to participate in everyday activities whenever possible.
— Lilian Sung, Preventing vomiting in children undergoing cancer treatment
The Hospital for Sick Children – Toronto, ON
Stopping uterine cancers before they start
Aline Talhouk | University of British Columbia
Laurence Bernard | McGill University
Andrea Neilson | University of British Columbia
Most uterine cancers are driven by hormone imbalances. Preventive hormone therapy can treat uterine cancer and pre-cancer conditions, but there is currently no good way to tell who might need this treatment. Dr Aline Talhouk, Dr Laurence Bernard and Dr Andrea Neilson are evaluating a test to predict which people would benefit from hormone therapy, allowing them to receive preventive treatment and stop uterine cancers before they start.